Ginger Ale
by uebermensch
Summary: Sequel to "Canada Dry". Moving beyond 'friends' into a new phase of their relationship, Eliza and Henry test the boundary waters. Henry wants to see them proceed in a measured way (naturally), whereas Eliza wants him to become acquainted with alternative words to "intimate" (of course). COMPLETE, 3 chapters.
1. All good things -

**"GINGER ALE"**

Summary: Moving beyond friends into a new phase of their relationship, Eliza and Henry tests the boundary waters. Henry wants to see them proceed in a measured way (of course), whereas Eliza wants him to become acquainted with alternative words to "intimate" (of course).

Chapter 1 is rated T for terrific. Chapters 2 and beyond are rated M for mature and E for excellent-because-it's-about-time. As long as I continue writing, this below is an enthusiastic 'thank-you-selfie' to "Selfie", along with gratitude to EK, KG, and JC. This work is intended as a follow-up to "Canada Dry", because god only knows, my muse and I believe in a sexy follow through. It might be useful to read "Canada Dry" first, but there's enough in the present story to stand on its own.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: "All good things ..."**

Having the sweet fever was one thing, but having the "total hots" for someone was something very different.

Being sick never felt so good, or led to such good things.

It had been a memorable two weeks.

Henry had taken care of Eliza through her bad cold, and he finally admitted how he felt about her. To her great credit, Eliza embraced him with warm open arms. But turnaround was fair play, and he caught her cold, prompting her to take care of him.

Eliza and Henry spent the following week, slowly learning more details about the other. Henry was interested in cooking, astronomy, and running. Few surprises there, but she no longer thought he was "super boring ..."

 _Well, maybe a **little** boring, but that's what I'm here for ..._

He was surprised, however, to learn Eliza was interested in starting school and community outreach programs to encourage young women to nurture their creativity. Judging by the creative use of her wall space, he'd seen what Eliza could do, and he always thought she should explore that side a little more.

"We could ask women from different walks of life to come and speak; we could ask Charmonique, Joan, and Linda if they'd be interested. But I think you should be the first to speak and tell your story, Eliza." Henry remembered her initially shy reaction, but he could tell she liked the idea.

"Oooooh, my story, yeaaaah ... it be like 'from Butt to Bitch ...'"

"Uh, maybe a revised title would be more prudent, Eliza ... how about 'from Butt to Boss'?"

"Yeahhhh nooooo ... it's okay; we'll work on a title ..."

They spent most evenings together alternating between their respective places, and settling slowly into a new phase of their relationship. Best friends, and now, in love with each other. They hadn't yet reached the 'intimate' phase of their relationship, and it was all Eliza could do to try and erase that damn three-syllable word from his vocabulary.

Like a damn earworm that wouldn't go away, the word 'intimate' played on her mind.

She wanted Henry, sex, and coffee: not necessarily all at once, and not necessarily in that order.

She wasn't **that** fussy after all.

He knew what she wanted. He knew her well enough to know, but he also wanted her to appreciate a quieter side to being together. That if she wanted a more meaningful and lasting relationship, sometimes, the relationship was filled with spaces and moments that didn't necessarily carry big neon signs and fireworks. That sometimes, the best moments happen when it's quiet and both people are listening, truly listening to each other over the distractions of day-to-day life and beyond the messy array of personal hangups and desires.

"Eliza, do you have plans for tonight?", he asked over Wednesday lunch in his office behind closed doors.

"Online auction: I've had my eye on a pair of leg-high leather boots which I will now describe to you in three words: 'hot', 'sexy', and HAAAWWWT ..."

"Eliza ..." he warned, remembering her issues with maxed out credit cards.

"Don't worry, Henry. It's just the one item, and I've the cash. But seriously, why do you ask?"

"I want to take you out on a date tonight."

Instant thoughts of a big night at a ritzy restaurant and going out to a club entered her mind.

"Ooooooo! Screw the shopping! Big plaaaans?" she asked excitedly.

"That depends."

"Depends on what?"

"That depends on what you think will happen after our date."

"To disabuse you of the stupid word 'intimate'?"

He chuckled. "What word would you suggest I use?"

She tapped her lower lip with her index finger. "Hmmmm ... getting hot and heavy ... taking me to pound town ..."

He arched his eyebrow. "That's a lot of words just to replace one word."

"Yeah, I don't care; I just wanna get it **on** with you ..." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

He smiled. "Let's see how our date goes, okay?"

Shouting " _win!_ " in her mind, she pouted instead. "You're no fun ... but ... you said that depends on what happens. What do you have in mind for our date?"

"I want to make dinner for you at your apartment."

"Nothing against your cooking, but that sounds totes boring ..."

"First of all, I want you to feel comfortable in your own place. Second, I know it's kinduva big deal, but I want the experience of our date to have the similar feel of the two of us hanging out and sharing a meal. The big difference is I want to do this for you. Third, it would be my pleasure to cook for you."

"But wh-y-y-y-y-y?" She playfully whined. "I just wanna get to the good stuff ..." Eliza stuck out her lower lip for good measure.

"Eliza, everything has its time and place."

"Couldn't we order takeout or pizza instead?" she asked, trying in vain to change his mind.

"We already do that when we hang out and stuff. For a date, I want to do something different. Cooking is a slower experience, and lots of meaningful lasting memories arise from slower experiences. I promise it'll be rewarding as well. I haven't misled you about food, have I?"

"No. But ... does that mean you've misled me before? Huuuuh?" Eliza caught his little verbal misstep immediately.

"Oh my, I'm not going to touch **that** with a ten-foot pole ..." She was very sharp when she wanted to be.

She showed him teeth in her smile. "We'll come back to that later ..." Try as she might, she couldn't remember the last time a man, any man who had prepared a meal for her. "Soooooo, what are you going to make for me?"

"I was thinking something relatively simple: fettuccine carbonara, with mushroom and bacon. And yes, I definitely had you in mind with the bacon. And no, 'bacon and waffles' do not count as dinner."

"It could, if you really wanted to ..." She was happy he remembered her winning breakfast combination. In her mind, she thought if things between them continued to go well, maybe she could make bacon and waffles for him sometime. Maybe even, the morning after their date ...

He laughed at the imagery. "I suppose. But fettuccine carbonara is the kind of thing one makes for a dinner date."

Eliza was beginning to warm to the idea, of Henry making himself more at home in her kitchen, and of him making her dinner.

"I'm pretty sure I have the necessary pots and pans, but I don't think I've got the stuff you need."

"Way ahead of you," Henry replied. "I'll get it sorted out. You just be present and let me take care of the details."

Eliza perked up with a thought. "No wait, why don't we both get the food you need?"

Henry nodded. "That's a good idea. Wanna meet me at Trader Joe's at 6pm?"

"Totes. Text me the location you want to go, and I'll meet you there."

They both got up from their chairs, signaling the end of lunch. He came around to her and held her hands in his. "I'm looking forward to this. It'll be good, proper, and respectful, I promise."

"I know; I can always count on you. But you'll forgive me if I wanna make things a little bit **less** respectful." She leaned forward and kissed him.

He laughed through their open mouths. "Must be why I love you."

"Better believe it." She leaned in for another kiss, and it wasn't long when the darting and dueling of tongues was starting to get SRS ...

"Oh wow, Eliza," he managed to get out. "I hate to say it, but we gotta stop ..."

"Nooooo ..."

"Didn't you tell me you wanted to act more responsibly and be treated more seriously at work?"

"Yes, but you drive me crazy, Henry ..."

"Right back at you, Eliza. But I promise I'll do a better job controlling myself ... and not kiss you at work ..."

"What?! No, that's not what I meant ..."

"I'm kidding, Eliza. But seriously, we gotta get back to work ..."

"Do we have toooooo?"

"Yes, we do. Remember? Responsible adults?"

Eliza made a face. "Stop saying things that are truuueeeee ..." Reluctantly, she walked towards the exit and opened his office door. In the open doorway, she turned around and blew him an air kiss.

He caught it, and smiled in return.


	2. - come to those who wait

**Chapter 2: "... come to those who wait."**

"Did you enjoy dinner?" Henry asked with a small grin. Judging by the look of bliss on her face when she took a bite of his main course, he was very confident of her answer.

Both had changed into casual wear. He was in a grey-and-blue long-sleeved henley shirt and blue jeans; his black coat hung over her brown one-seater sofa. She had her hair up in a bun, wearing grey sweats and one of her many branded t-shirts with the phrase "Time's runnin' out: kiss me now." Subtlety wasn't really her thing, but he secretly loved her shirts.

Dinner was equally casual and simple, consisting of tossed green salad, fettuccine carbonara, and oven-toasted bread drizzled with olive oil. They had added to the shopping cart a bottle each of red and white wine. Eliza had also done her homework, and she recommended an easy-to-make dessert of citrus-infused strawberries. He'd been stuck on an appropriate dessert, and he loved her dessert idea. In her kitchen, he was more than happy to show how he was preparing dinner. As he cooked, they drank wine, they talked, and they laughed. It'd been no different when they sat down to eat.

After finishing dessert, they collected the dishes, and returned them to the kitchen.

With her back to the kitchen sink and her arms stretched out beside her, she wore the smile of a happy woman. "O-M-G, delisch! Thank you! Did you learn the recipe when you worked at your parents' Buca di Beppo?"

"No, I didn't. Funny enough, I picked up the recipe when I was traveling through Europe. As you saw earlier during preparation, the big thing about the recipe is what it lacks: there's no cream. It's the careful application of heat to the combination of eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and Pecorino Romano cheese."

With Henry's permission (she had to allow for that), she'd taken a snap of his creation, and posted the picture onto Instagram. In a pause when he went to get more wine, she snuck a look to see how the picture was doing.

 _Dang, only ten likes. So much for that attempt at a 'like spike'. Oh well ..._

"Well ..." she said, returning to the present. "Maybe I'll try making it for myself sometime soon ..."

"And I hope to be here; I'd like to be around when you try."

"I don't know ..."

"Don't worry; I'm not gonna judge. Let me put it to you this way: I **challenge** you to learn, try, and improve on what I made tonight. But trust I'll help and support you; it's what friends do."

"Maybe ... I'll think about it. But you should know you're always welcome here."

"You're amazing, Eliza."

She giggled and blushed. "'Amazing' ..."

"When we first met, I didn't like you, but we agreed I'd help change you. I never thought we'd become friends. Then, we became best friends ..."

"Aaaaand?"

"I like you ..."

"Obviously ... I mean, look at me: what's not to like?"

"Eliza ..."

"J/K, Henry. You **did** change me."

"You've come a long way ..."

She nodded, but that seemed like a long time ago, back to a person she recognized only in the mirror. "Well, I have you to thank for that."

"That's not necessary. **You** did the all the work, **you** made the big changes."

"I suppose so ... but you changed, too."

"It's true, and I have you to thank for that." Henry raised his wine glass in her direction. "Cheers to one Eliza Dooley, a fine outstanding woman who's well-liked by her friends and peers ... "

"Thank you ... 'Sensei' ... " Eliza clinked her glass with Henry's.

"There's gotta be a better word than 'Sensei' ..."

She threw a wicked grin in his direction. "How about 'Elder'?"

"Ha ha, funny ... try again ..."

"J/K, Henry, J/K ... hmmm, how about 'best friend'?"

"Yes, I like that; go on ..."

Eliza set her glass onto the counter and took his glass, setting it next to hers. "Or how about ..." She wriggled her hips and the rest of her lithe body into his space. "How about 'looooover'?"

"That works, too ... uh ... Eliza ... what are you doing?"

Eliza rolled her eyes, reliving the time she dropped by his place to teach him some 'game', only to have him grab her unexpectedly. The sudden shock pushing her to leaving early, and thinking about him very differently. "What I'm doing ... is trying to get you to touch me, or have you forgotten that lesson already?"

"No, I haven't ..."

"Good," as she grabbed his arms and put them on her waist. "`Cuz I know you've had trouble in the past when I've been direct with you."

Encircling her body with his arms, he pushed her against his body, forcing her hands up onto his shoulders. "How's this working for you, Eliza?"

"Better ... hey, you're not scared of me, are you, Henry?"

"Not exactly ..."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that ... you ... uh ..."

"Come on ... out with it, Henry ..."

"Remember how I told you you scare the hell outta me?"

"Uhm ... yeah?"

"My insecurity doesn't go away overnight. Look, I know we both want _it_ ... "

"Henry, it won't hurt you to say it ..."

"Sex. With you. There, happy now?'

"Maybe. Quite possibly. Certainly a lot happier if we actually get to it ..."

"You've been in previous relationships ..."

"Duh .."

"... and you and Freddy weren't exactly shy to me and everybody else within earshot about your sexual chemistry ..."

"Oh." The penny finally dropped for Eliza. "And you think you won't match my standards for sex."

"Yes."

Funny how Henry would seem to hover over her relationship with Freddy, and now that she was with Henry, he couldn't seem to get out of Freddy's shadow. "Oh, Henry. I know I give you shit over your bowties, old-man habits, and awful jokes. But I know how kind, generous, and passionate you are. You're legit in my books."

"Really?"

"I've said it to you before, Henry, and I'll say it again: I want you." Eliza held up her hand. "Honest ... straight up girl code. Well ... if you were a girl, that is."

"I'm not ..."

She brought her hands up to his chest, bunching his shirt. "Not that there's anything wrong with girl code ..."

"Nope ..."

"And as hot certain girls are, I'm glad a hot guy from Van Nuys is here, a guy who just made me dinner. I have to find a meaningful way to thank him. And just so I'm clear ... I **am** trying to seduce you ..."

"Well, I have news for you, Eliza. It's working. And no, I'm not gonna stop you ..."

"Good ... so why don't we start with this ..." She pushed him off and began to strip.

Slowly.

First, she pulled her shirt up and over her head. His eyes opened a little wider; she wasn't wearing a bra.

Second, she pulled her hair out of the bun, watching her red tresses fall over her smooth milk-white freckled skin.

Third, she pulled down her sweats, carefully, a leg at a time. He swallowed, but not because of her long legs. He had always admired her legs, and he was more than happy to look at her openly. No, it wasn't that. She wasn't wearing any panties.

Throughout her entire strip, she looked at him in the eyes. Not once did she break eye contact.

She stood before him: beautiful, naked, exposed, expectant. All for him.

He was getting 'a big rush of the feels', and said the first thing that popped in his head. "Time **is** short, Eliza. I'd like to kiss you now ..."

She laughed. "You're so busted! You love my shirts."

He nodded. "Yes, Eliza; you know I do ... get over here ... less talking, more kissing ..."


	3. Lights

**Chapter 3: "Lights"**

The one positive aspect of their relationship, especially in private, was being able to look at her naked body, a far cry from his admittedly poor reaction when she returned his jacket at the elevator just down the hall from her front door.

She sauntered over to him, hips swaying, head down, eyes up, turning up her 'sexy volume' to the full-on wattage of a thousand.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll get to that. But hello? In case you haven't noticed, I'm totally naked, and you seem to have this annoying habit of ignoring my body. Sooo, is that **all** you really have to say?"

He circled around her, giving her a thorough visual examination, from head to toe.

"Well?" she asked.

"Are you expecting me to put out after our date?"

She was confused and a little disconcerted. "Uhm, yes?"

"Wow, saucy much ..."

"Hey, you're not getting all high-and-mighty with me, are you ..."

"I'm kidding; I'm kidding ... what is that one thing you always say to me? J/K?"

Instinctively, she folded her arms across her chest. "Oh my God, Henry ..."

"Eliza, this isn't casual, okay? This isn't a one-time deal, a one-night stand." He reached for her hands, holding them in his. "What's happening between us, it's the real thing."

"I know, Henry. I feel the same way, too."

"Good. I'm glad. And now that I'm looking at you, you're definitely right about one other thing ..."

"What's that?"

"The best of your physical features. Your butt is very nice. And I must admit your underbutt is especially pleasant, too ..."

She squealed excitedly. "You ... you **noticed**!"

"Of course, Eliza ..." A thought tickling his mind over the last hour had finally blossomed. "But you know what else I noticed?

"Yes?"

"I can tell you're serious ... about this ..." At her questioning look, he continued. "Because you don't have your phone in your hand ..."

She grinned and nodded, glad he took notice of that 'one little detail'.

"And while we're on the topic of my observations ..." Henry added. "Has anyone ever told you you have legs a mile long?"

"I've been observing you, too. I've been aware you've had your eyes on me and my legs for some time."

"I have a list of observations. Wanna hear `em?" He released their hands and held her around her waist, stroking and caressing her skin.

"Totes ..." She looped her arms around his neck.

"Your big smile on your lovely face is a window to what you're thinking and feeling, a window to something I feel I am highly privileged to look through and cherish what lies within. A window to your kind soul, generous heart, keen perception, and wonderful intuition ..."

"Do go on ..." She was enjoying sparring with him and having him 'unclothe' her verbally.

"And I see ..." he took a peek downwards. ".. that the carpet matches the drapes ..."

Eliza blinked. And she blinked again. "Henry ... did you ... did you just say what I think you just said?!"

"Not gonna lie ... so it's gotta be true ..." To contrast his daring words, the look on his face bordered on adoration.

"But it's so unlike you ... O-M-G, I love it ... especially when you let loose and have some fun ..."

"That's why you're here to push me ..." He smiled, but faltered when he realized where they were. "Uh ... we're still in your kitchen ..."

"I know, but ssssssh ..." She pressed her fingers to his lips, and turned his earlier phrase back on him. "Less talking, more stripping ..."

"Okay ..." He reached for her hand, and they wandered out of the kitchen and into her living room. "But I think I need your help ... it's only fair ..."

Eliza stepped forward and carefully lifted his shirt through his arms, trailing her fingertips from his waist, up his chest, across his arms and hands, trailing away from his fingers. He closed his eyes and hissed, forcing her to look at him, the powerful effect her touch was having on him.

 _This wasn't just anybody_ , she thought, _or some guy she picked up at a club, or even, Freddy. This was Henry. Her Henry._ _**I'm**_ _doing this to him ... he's making those sounds because of me ..._

He unbuckled his belt, unfastened the top button, and pushed his jeans down to his naked feet. Down to his underpants, he already felt exposed. Eliza nudged his jeans to the couch with her feet. Regarding first his feet, she walked around him again, giving him the full Eliza gaze. Coming back around, she put her finger on his smooth naked chest, trailing her finger down his skin; down, down, downs to the waistband. She pulled the waistband out towards her, and she looked down to take a peek inside. She liked what she saw, a little sexy side grin to complete the picture.

"Eliza!"

She quickly put her free hand on his mouth. He closed his eyes, turned on by her aggressive move. For sometime now, blood flow had already been going to the right places, but her bold confidence was pure sex in a bottle. Her sexy unleashed was rocking his cock, out and hard.

Pointing in the right direction. And if he leaned ever closer, the right destination ...

She watched him, then back up to his face, reflected very much with her own in a mixture of arousal and approval.

"Well well, Henry; it's true after all. You **do** have big feet ..."

"Okay then ..." blushed Henry.

Eliza put her hands on her hips, and looked at him with equal parts affection and challenge in her eyes. She realized those very same parts helped define the way they felt about each other. But above all, she felt like a rockstar champion. "What, no smart comeback? Cat got your tongue?"

"No no, I was just thinking ...," as he grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her up against him. "I was thinking I'm hungry now ..."

Tables had quickly turned, and the rosy blush on her cheeks was the immediate impact. She could play this game very well, too. She was horny as hell, and god help her, she would not be denied. "You just ate ... how can you possibly be hungry?"

"I wanna eat ... you ..." He could plainly see what she wanted in her eyes. He pulled down his underpants and kicked them aside.

"Hen-r-y-y-y-y ... but only if you're good ..." She reached down and cupped him.

"God ... but what if I don't wanna be good ..."

"Heelllooooo, my name is Eliza. Who are you, and what have you done with Henry?"

He laughed, prompting her to lean in for a kiss.

"Eliza, wait ... " She released him, as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I want to say this, I have to say it ... you're the most extraordinary woman I've ever met, whose beauty is unmatched ..."

Eliza giggled. "Oh Henry, you did it again ..."

"Huh?"

"You called me beautiful ... even if it was indirect ... again ..."

"Eliza, please, I'm trying to bare my soul here ..."

"So you're exposing yourself to me?" Eliza said with a knowing look, revisiting that old conversation.

Henry nodded. "Okay yes, I'm exposing myself to you: body **and** soul. Point bees, I want this. I want you. I said it before, and I'll say it again. You are the most important person in my life. And tonight, I'm going to show you how I really feel ... how much I love you."

"I want you, too. I want you to show me. And I love you, too ..."

Over the next hour, they had sex on her couch; so swift and fierce and passionate the coupling, it had been difficult to distinguish between soft biting and hard fucking. In the second hour, they had moved into her bedroom, and began making love. They exchanged very few words; the most common of which were their respective names. During one break in the action, he voiced the thought aloud that he'd been putting his naked butt on every piece of her furniture, and he wondered if she had already done the same when she stayed at his place. She coyly said 'no', but hoped she'd have a chance to do so in the very near future.

She was slowly realizing an important truth. What had begun as a normal course of seduction as a route to the 'lust and the thrust' had transformed into lovemaking. It had all been months in the making: from business relationship, to fast friends; best friends to an actual breathing relationship. The significance was enormous. That this between them was meaningful. That they were on the verge on the "big and awesome."

In between rounds five and six, they lay next to each other in her bed for a good long breather, judging by the trouble they were having getting words out.

"Mmmm ... god ... Henry ... you always ... smell ... so good ... always ... thought ... you .. taste good ... too ..."

"Love ... how you touch ... can't stop ... Eliza ... want ... more ... of you ... "

A few minutes later, she leaned over, propped up on an elbow and studying his face. "Okay, I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but could we not have sex for a little while? I'm not saying 'no more'; I'm saying ... 'later' ..."

He opened one eye. "Yeah ... okay ... sure ... God, I think I'm feelin' my age ... because I think you've just about killed me with sex ..."

"Aww, Henry ..." She put her hand on his heart. "No one's ever said **that** to me before. The way things are going, **I'm** gonna be making you bacon and waffles in the morning. But we still have more ... **I** want more ..."

"Anyone ever tell you you're demanding when you're hot and horny?"

"Oh, it's possible ... ya got somethin' else to say about that?"

"Only how much I hope to test how truly effective your Kegel exercises are, and how much I hope we fuck each other good to make it worthwhile ..."

"Uh, wow. Clarify?"

"Worthwhile to bacon and waffles. And you being here with me right now? Always worthwhile; don't ever forget that ..."

"Thank you ..." she replied in a small breathy voice.

"You're welcome."

He sat up, his back propped on her many colorful pillows. A comfortable quiet descended on them, as they simply gazed at each other. He reached up and brushed aside matted strands of hair from her face.

"I'm going to get a drink of water, Eliza. Did you want a beverage, too?"

"God ..."

"What is it?"

"I'm never gonna look at you in the same way ever again. Even when you're asking me a simple question, the way you look at me ... god ... #thestruggle #loveandsexwithmybestfriend ..."

"It's good to know I've had some small positive effect on you ..."

"Sooooo unfair! And yes, I'd like a drink, too ..."

While he went to get their drinks, she got up and fetched her phone. Shuffling into the living room, she plopped onto her couch, sitting cross-legged. She typed and sent out a tweet, indicating a change in her status: from 'sexy and single' to 'deep in love'. It didn't surprise her when her claim to the Internet subsequently imploded. She didn't care; all she wanted was tell as many as people as possible that she was ... happy.

He returned with two glasses of water, and saw she was on her phone.

 _You can take the phone away from Eliza, but no one's going to take Eliza from the phone ..._

Many minutes had passed before Eliza realized something different in the air. Finally, she looked up from her phone to find Henry sitting next to her and regarding her very intently.

"Oh!"

"Soooooo ... what about now?" Henry gave her his best smolder.

"God, Henry ... stop it!"

"You get turned on when I look at you that way, don't you?"

"Totally. And it's clear you've been looking at me for months, so I know I turn you on, too."

"Yes, guilty as charged."

"So, what's another sexual turn-on for you?" She genuinely wanted to know; she put her phone down next to the lamp and water glasses on her end table. She picked up a glass and guzzled down the water.

"Seafood," Henry replied. "Specifically: mussels; more specifically: 'moules frites'." He'd become especially fond of "mussels and fries" when he visited Belgium as part of the European trip a number of years ago.

At hearing 'mussels', Eliza remembered the time she was trying to convince Henry (and herself) how Corynn McWatters could be a good role model.

 _That was sooo not a good idea. Good thing Henry was around ..._

She looked at him pointedly. "Mussels? 'Where they at? Where the mussels at, Henry? Huh? Huh? Wheah the mussels aaaaat ...'"

He laughed. "OK, good burn. Now, I realize we're both still naked. So ... uh ... I was thinking ..."

"What's going on in that devious mind of yours?"

"Meeeee, devious? Deviant, maybe; dirty, certainly. I was thinking: would you like to give me that lapdance now?"

"Why yes ..." She quickly adjusted her position on the couch and sat on his lap, straddling his legs. "I woooouuuuld ..."

"Well then, I'm right here." Henry grabbed and moved her hand where she could feel him twitch. She grasped his cock and began touching him, slowly, agonizingly, deliberately along the length, and squeezing a little more at the head. A little faster, a little slower, a little rotation in her hand's slide, up and then down ...

He closed his eyes at the way she was making him feel.

"Oh my God ... I've gotta say it ... you look ... like ... super amazing, Henry ..."

"It's all you, Eliza," he breathed out. He opened his eyes and took a peek down below. "And what you're doing to me ... shiiiiit ..."

"I never would've imagined you soooo could talk dirty. I didn't think you even had those words in your vocabulary." She leaned back from a little so she could use both her hands: cup and stroke him at the same time.

"There **are** some things you don't know about me ..."

"Oh yeah? Try me ..."

"Oh, I will, Eliza: I'm definitely gonna **try** you ..." He shifted in her hands, just enough wriggle room to free his hand, and reached down to touch her.

She exhaled. "And then what?"

"Just maybe ... maybe ... we'll fuck some more ..." He began teasing her, probing her, and inserted a finger while his thumb began to make little circular motions.

"God dammit, what are you doing to me, Henry ..."

"Shit, Eliza, what are **you** doing ..."

Their arousal had climbed to critical intensity. He watched her; she was breathing rapidly. She closed her eyes for a moment to control her breathing.

"Fuck this," she breathed. "I want you ... in me ..."

She hovered above him. His hands were on her waist, she reached down to grasp him and to guide him home. When he slipped inside, they cried out with relief.

"Look at me ... " he begged.

Every jerk. Every thrust. Every move was met with a deep stilted breath. And another. Followed by another. Eyes on the other, crashing against each other.

"It ... it feels ... like I'm fly ... falling ... like ... the same time ... " She could barely speak the words, barely recognizing the difference between pleasure and love.

Her fire met his smolder, her lips took his breath; she gave him her love.

"I'm here ... hold on ... `liza ... hang on ..." he stammered, hot and slow into her ear.

"I ... I can't ... don't ... stop ..." she breathed, on top, her red locks hanging and swinging from her face. "Baby, don't ... stop ... never stop ... don't ... leave me ..."

He just had enough strength to stop, and looking directly into her eyes, he whispered eight decisive words.

"I'm here, my dear ... come for me, Eliza ..."

Only one conclusion tonight.

Only one inevitable conclusion.

On for tonight.

They screamed each other's name in a holy prayer, inviting the little death in the present, chasing away shadows of the past. Sweat mingled with breath, arms tangled with legs, they clung to each other, as their well-being depended on their vital connection. They murmured sweet words to each other; the sound of their breathing inside and the steady pitter-patter of the light rain outside lulled them quietly into sleep.

They held on for dear life, held on for tonight, on towards morning light.


End file.
